The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-14

consolidate the c., s. & C. division with the
above-named divisions under the name or the
Columbus. Indianapolis & Western road
The Wells Fargo & Co. Express Company has.
it Is stated, completed arrangements to do the
business the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Re
system. This will make the Bee-line a mnch
more important express route than it has been
heretofore, as il will be INK OF the great
through ex press route, the American express and
Wells e Fargo being practically the Same inter-
est
The master mechanic of the Cincinnati. Wa
bash &c Michigan road has evidently been jaunt-
ing about the country and noticing the improve
meats of the last few years IN the type OF
locomotives The engines of the c., w. s. NJ.
coming out of the shops rebuilt IN fine style.
Straight stacks. extension boilers, and q numerous
other modern improvements have been adopted
recently.
Within the last twenty days twenty-five miles
more of steel rail has been placed in the track
of the l., B. & W., making los miles laid this
year sixty-hve on the eastern division and sixty
miles the Peoria division. On the eastern
division, which extends from Colu mbus to San
dusky, there is now but two and half miles OF
iron rail and this will be taken out within thirty
days and steel rail substituted.
The Lake Shore road has purchased large
gravel bank at Rome City, Ind, and will build
track to It A portion of the distance they
which company they have made a contract COW
erlng TWENTY-FIVE years The Lake Shore peo-
pie propose to regravel their entire line between
Cleveland and Chicago with gravel from this
bank. the gravel being of superior quality for
road-beds.
The heavy fret ght traffic of the last six months
has made it quite apparent that Indiana roads
are not dependent good wheat crop for bus
mess With the lightest crop in 1887 for many
years. the roads have been doing bust
nes which has never been exceeded. and, IN
fact, limited by cars and locomotives to haul
them. There is little falling off in traffic just
now, but at the present time it is 10 to 10 per
cent in excess of the corresponding periods in
any former years
T..lya r.
determined to develop all the local business
there is on their line. Within the last sixty
days they have put in several side-tracks and
switches at important stations like Munce. lead
ing to manufacturing establishments. and have
of their snrewdest men stopping at towns
their line for this special work, and the COM
pany propose TO put in a switch to any estao
lishment which will be benefited by having one
which is within a reasonable distance of the
road.
The general passenger agents show a deter
mInaton to head off the scapers. Objection
has already been raised to the form of ticket
recommended at the last meeting of the Nation
al Association of General Passenger and Ticket
Agents It is claimed that account OF the
years appearing at the top of the ticket, they
be easily clipped off and do much better
service than they were intended to, in the
brokers' hands Another ticket is being pre-
pared which will give the scalper no advantage
in dates.
Said old railroader yesterday. ''There
''drones' in the railroad service.
From the president down to the Office boy all
busy. At the city freight depots there is
an activity which has never before been equaled
If clerks and platfrom men get off by 10 o'clock
at night they call it light days work and it is
very creditabe to the mer that they willingly
accept the situation. as even the pay for extra
time does not fully make up for the deprivations
they subjected to when working fourteen to
sixteen hours per day.
The Ohio State Journal copies what the Cleve-
land Leader said reg ard1ng the operations of the
Central Traffic Association and then comments as
follows: The interstase-commerce law. not the
Central Traffic Association is preventing ruin
rate The policy Of the Central Traffic
extremely illiberal to the public and picayunish
policy neither makes friends for the railroa DIS
nor adds any shekels to their earnings But
there is hope for the association. and it may be
made an instrument for good by mending its
ways.
There is a good deal of complaint again that
consignees long hold cars before unloading
them. In most cases it is carelessness about
the matter, the consignee not thinking that
these cars worth from So to $40 per day to
the roads If any agent hints demurrage
charges the party flies all to pieces and threat
to boycott the road, yet to charge demur-
rage on cars after placed on aswitch for twenty
four hours would not be I'M just But as long
road is len1ent about the matter others will
needs be, and as a conseq uence cars will be
Some four years ago VIM. R. McKeen, presi-
dent OF the Vandalia, in order to help the farm
ers and business men within a reasonable
distance of the road. proposed to furnish trains
to haul gravel to any road crossing their tracks,
at the actual cost of running the train. In some
districts the offer was cheerfully accepted. and
some twenty miles of country road about Terre
Haute was graveled to a depth which enabled the
farmer to get his product on the market in win
ter mud time we'll as in the fall or when it
is his busiest time After few months this
improvement attracted less attention, and but
little has been done in this direction the last
two years; but. at his suggestion the matter is
now receiving more attention, and 1t is quite
probable that during the next four months
6ao fxvilJ he 1isho in
tion in the vicinity of Terre Haute and at points
on the Vandalia in Illinois
THE COURT RECORD.